Esther 1:12

1:12 But Queen Vashti refused ¹  to come at the king’s bidding ²  conveyed through the eunuchs. Then the king became extremely angry, and his rage consumed ³  him.

Esther 2:21

2:21 In those days while Mordecai was sitting at the king’s gate, Bigthan ⁴  and Teresh, ⁵  two of the king’s eunuchs who protected the entrance, ⁶  became angry and plotted to assassinate ⁷  King Ahasuerus.

[1:12]  ¹ sn Refusal to obey the king was risky even for a queen in the ancient world. It is not clear why Vashti behaved so rashly and put herself in such danger. Apparently she anticipated humiliation of some kind and was unwilling to subject herself to it, in spite of the obvious dangers. There is no justification in the biblical text for an ancient Jewish targumic tradition that the king told her to appear before his guests dressed in nothing but her royal high turban, that is, essentially naked.

[1:12]  ² tn Heb “at the word of the king”; NASB “at the king’s command.”

[1:12]  ³ tn Heb “burned in him” (so KJV).

[2:21]  ⁴ tn This individual is referred to as “Bigthana,” a variant spelling of the name, in Esth 6:2.

[2:21]  ⁵ tc The LXX does not include the names “Bigthan and Teresh” here.

[2:21]  ⁶ tn Heb “guarders of the threshold”; NIV “who guarded the doorway.”

[2:21]  ⁷ tn Heb “sought to send a hand against”; CEV “decided to kill.”